Problems and Questions
I have had two meeting with groups at Dona Theresa, Italian restaurant, this December 2016. (Gosh - it's nearly 2017.) At the first party, one of my fellow guests asked me and the others on my table "Why did you choose Hatch End, and why this restaurant? How did you know about it?"
She was from Kenton and did not know Hatch End but had parked outside and saw that Hatch End has four Italian restaurants plus about twelve more restaurants. All are within five minutes walk, up and down both sides of one short, wide main street called The Broadway.
Three of the committee members live in Hatch End. Committee members had discussed all the possible venues for a Christmas party in this location and two of three others nearby. We had already had a successful party here. Was it time for a change?
Answers
We needed a place large enough for all our potential members. We wanted the entire restaurant so we could have speeches. We did not want to commit money in advance, before we had time to collect it from the members, nor did the club want to pay for those who had to cancel if they fell ill, nor get in arguments with them about not refunding their money. After all, the whole exercise was to create goodwill amongst members, cement commitment to the club, and have a happy time. Large restaurants will only give you the whole restaurant if you guarantee a certain number of places.
Then there is the cost. If you have to guarantee a certain minimum, you need a certain number to break even. Do they need a deposit?
And do you feel that the restaurant, regardless of their terms, are simply explaining the economics from their point of view? Are they being unfriendly and aggressive, unhelpful, uncompromising, unwelcoming. Or are they being nice about it, agreeable, saying, "I'm sure we can work it out"?
Stories
A couple of our members enterprisingly, or perhaps greedily, depending on your positive or negative view or life and other people;s motives, went along to sample the food. They wanted to try the turkey, probably the most popular choice at Christmas time in England. What could go wrong? Who knows? Even a reliable place can go downhill, maybe in case the chef had changed or changed suppliers.
A vote was taken on the shortlist of restaurants. Phone calls were made.
One thing must be said about Manuel, he is always smiling and happy and keen to help. Other restaurants had problems. We could have the whole restaurant on a different day. We could have half the restaurant on the same day, sharing with other groups or individuals.
The same thing happened with the second group, much smaller. The alternative restaurant could take our initial numbers, but when we wanted a larger group, they did not have room. Restaurants are limited by the numbers their cooks and waiters can cope with. That is pretty obvious. They may also have to take into account things you don't at first think of, such as fire regulations limited the numbers on the premises.
Would I change anything for a group? Yes, not having any table for a large group for only four people (not my choice - other committee members). The result was that one group consisted of three people who were on the table for four, with an empty seat because one person was late.
So they met nobody new and looked neglected. That table was a round table and could not be pushed together with one of the longer tables. I would choose square tables you could push together.
I would also get half the people changing seats half way through the evening. Any VIP should move table or go round the room speaking to each person.
Have lights full on during the speeches so that any photo or video can be taken and will be in good enough light and focus without time-consuming editing. Also a few people at the back might to hear. Having lights on enables them to lipread.
Tips
Check dates and size of restaurant.
Advise all guests of parking and postcode.
Give everybody the phone number of the restraint and an organiser, in case they get lost.
Dona Theresa Italian Restaurant
451 Uxbridge Road
Hatch End
Pinner
HA5 4JR
Tel: 020 8421 5550 / 0352
www.donatheresa
twitter @dona_theresa
Facebook Dona Theresa Restaurant
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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Photos by Angela Lansbury, copyright 2016.
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